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I have just shot a deer and I am interested in finding out how I can easily cure a patch of the hide for fly tying. thanks.
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Scrape as much fat off of the skin that you possibly can.Next rub lots of borax into the skin.When the borax gets saturated with moisture scrape it off and start with fresh borax.leave the hide skin side up to dry it out.This will preserve the hide fairly well,but tanning,although pricey, is better.My bro in law is a taxidermist so I have the luxury of getting lots of trimmed pieces from the shoulder mounts he does.There is no greater pleasure than using the deer you harvest this year for next seasons tom thumbs. Good luck
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An addendum to the above.....if one mixes fine salt with the borax (20 mule team from store) 50-50, and tacks the hide (hair down) to a board/piece of plywood, the salt will draw out pretty well all the moisture, and the borax will keep the hide reasonably supple,with a nice white colour,and the nails will hold the hide from wrinkling. The first application of the mix will amaze you with how wet it gets. It will then get crusty a day or so later..and you remove it all into a small garb. can for the purpose, and re-apply by breaking up the lumps, and pouring it back on the hide, then rubbing it in some. Leave in a warm place for about a week, and play touchy-feeley with the hide.... it will tell you when it is cured. The borax-salt mix can be used over and over again. PS: the mix should be about 1/2 inch thick over the hide to have lots of salt to hold all the water.
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